Best beers to try in Bali

The ubiquitous Bintang pilsener beer – for many, the green bottle is as synonymous with Bali as a chicken sate or accidently stepping on an offering.  Be it a quick stop at a Circle K convenience store en route from airport to hotel; sipping a frosty cold one whilst perched street-side at a Legian restaurant watching the world go by; raising a finger or nod of the head to order another at the swim up pool bar; or more likely, sitting on the sands of Kuta Beach watching another Bali sunset, most Bali visitors have savoured a Bintang (or 6)!

You may be surprised to learn however there is now a thriving beer industry in Bali, with a proliferation of breweries, tap rooms and craft beer bars throughout the island.

Some beers and venues you may want to add to the list of things to do are:

Kura Kura

Meaning turtle in Bahasa Indonesia, it is also the name of a beer and brewery that started up in 2020, based in Plaga, Badung Regency.  It is 100% Balinese owned and you will find it in many convenience stores as well as a growing number of restaurants and bars throughout the island.  Popular options include the Island Ale in a yellow can and the Lager in a light blue can.

Black Sand

The first genuine craft beer brewery in Bali, located in Canggu and well worth a visit for its pleasant beer garden, good food and great beers.  Pro tip – head there on a Friday afternoon around 3pm for happy hour (ends at 6pm).  Popular beers to try are the IPA and Kolsch.  There are also seasonal brews if you are adventurous, such as Pineapple Sour, Japanese Rice Lager and a tasty New Zealand NEIPA.

South + East Brewing Co

You will be guaranteed to find a beer to your liking here, with a choice of 24 on tap, making it the most extensive selection in Indonesia.  The venue itself is not far from Kerobokan, and features a very pleasant beer garden with rice field setting.  There is a South African inspired food menu to complement the beer.  Here you will find ginger beer, porters, wheat beer and XPA as well as the usual lagers, pale ale and Kolsch.

Island Brewing

More a creator of great beer than a venue, Island Brewing actually make the Black Sand IPA and Kolsch.  You will also find their easy-to-drink Summer Pale Ale and Small Hazy at many bars and restaurants, particularly in the Canguu to Seminyak nexus.

Bintang

If you prefer the most popular beer in Indonesia, then Bintang Pilsener will be your go-to.  Available almost as readily as bottled water, it is good to understand the back story.  It is ultimately owned by Heineken and originates from Surabaya (East Java), where it was first made in 1929.  Made from imported barley and hops, it was more of a Bavarian bottom-ferment style back then, however the taste today is from a recipe created in 1967 when ownership changed formally to Heineken.  You will notice many similarities in flavour and look, right down to the red star on the green bottle.  In more recent times there have been a few additional Bintang beers brought to market, with Radler Lemon and Crystal being the two that remain popular (there were a few notable others such as Grapefruit and Orange Radler).